Boishaai in Bloem with Hope
A blue and white horde has travelled by bus the nearly 950 km to Bloemfontein to take on Grey College – two of south Africa's very best rugby schools. It is a Premier Interschools match.
It's more than just rugby. On Workers Day, Friday 1 May 2015, there will be golf, tennis, crosscountry, tabletennis, debating, squash, mountainbiking and a cultural evening.
Then on Saturday there will be seven hockey matches and 27 rugby matches, starting at 07.30 and reaching its climax when the 1st XVs kick off at 14.00.
It is, at very least, a logistical feat.
Rugby Programme
07.30: Under-14A Under-16B 9th XV Under-16D Under-15E Under-14C
08.45: Under-15A 4th XV 6th XV Under-15C Under-15F Under-14E
10.00: Under-16 A Under-14B 7th XV Under-16C Under-16E Under-14D
11.15: 3rd XV 5th XV 8th XV Under-15B Under-15D Under-14F
12.30: 2nd XV Under-16F
14.00: 1st XV
Results this Year
Not that these matter all that much as Grey do not lose often at all, let alone at home, but they do not look quite as powerful as usual this year.
Grey College
Drew with Diamantveld 34-34
Beat Menlopark 50-27
Beat HTS Middelburg 22-19
Beat Kearsney 28-10
Beat Dr EG Jansen 27-25
Beat Fichardtpark 52-0
Beat Waterkloof 29-3
Lost to monument 17-7
Paarl Boys' High
Beat Framesby 39-3
Beat Diamantveld 22-12
Beat St John's 52-0
Beat Garsfontein 32-19
Beat Outeniqua 23-17
Beat Louis Botha 26-7
Beat EG Jansen 19-14
Beat Monument 25-20
They are obviously strong sides, as they are each year but their two matches in common may be significant. Grey drew with Diamantveld and lost to Monnas. Boishaai beat both.
Teams
These are the teams that played at the Wildeklawer Top Schools Tournament in Kimberley last weekend.
Grey College: 15 Jandré de Beer, 14 Dian Gouws, 13 Dawid Snyman, 12 PR Serfontein, 11 Gerrie Koegelenberg, 10 Mario Vieira, 9 Niel Durow, 8 Werner Roberts, 7 Jurie Burger, 6 David Theron, 5 Marius Stander, 4 George Rossouw, 3 IG Prinsloo, 2 Matthew Wessels, 1 Raynard Esterhuizen.
Replacements: 16 Daniel Rust, 17 Gideo Beukes, 18 Stef Brits, 19 Marius Kruger, 20 Janco van Tonder, 21 Rewan Kruger, 22 Jaco Wessels, 23 Marnus Boshoff, 24 Hardus Nel, 25 Dian Schoonees.
Paarl Boys' High: 15 Jean-Luc Cilliers, 14 Tyreeq February, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Jan-Louis la Grange, 11 Elester Becker, 10 Rayhaan Lombaard, 9 Bradley Thain, 8 Khanya Ncusane, 7 JC van Schalkwyk, 6 Andreas van Wyk (captain), 5 Salmaan Moerat, 4 Ruben de Villiers, 3 Leo Kruger, 2 MC de Jongh, 1 Wikus Groenewald.
Replacements: 16 Daniel Jooste, 17 Reece Bezuidenhout, 18 Gert van der Merwe, 19 David Meihuizen, 20 Kristo Sadie, 21 Jandré Grobler, 22 Hugo Slabber, 23 Adam Neethling.
Achievers
Boishaai have two players back who went to Craven Week in 2014 – prop Wikus Groenewald and lock Ruben de Villiers. Grey also have two Craven Week players back – prop IG Prinsloo and fullback Lourens Steenkamp.
Ranking
At present Paarl Boys' High are ranked secopnd on the FNB Top 20, Grey fifth.
Prediction
Even in Bloemfontein, Boys' High would be considered favourites, tenacious team that they are, but it would be folly to bet against Grey, such a proud rugby school and so used to winning.
Results Down the Years
1950: Grey won 10-6
1953: Grey won 12-9
1954: Grey won 6-3
1954: Grey won 8-3
1956: Grey won 13-3
1957: Paarl Boys' High won 9-3
1960: Grey won 14-0
1960: Grey won 11-3
1973: Grey won 24-0
1974: Grey won 21-7
1977: Grey won 29-13
1978: Grey won 29-13
1979: Paarl Boys' High won 16-13
1980: Grey won 13-4
1983: Paarl Boys' High won 14-0
1984: Grey won 19-14
1984: Grey won 32-12
1987: Grey won 31-14
1989: Grey won 23-6
1993: drew 0-0
1995: Grey won 18-6
1996: Paarl Boys' High won 16-9
1997: Grey won 20-16
1998: Grey won 20-6
1999: Grey won 34-16
2000: Paarl Boys' High won 17-10
2001: Grey won 38-15
2002: Grey won 23-6
2003: Grey won 27-16
2004: Grey won 38-3
2005: Grey won 38-13
2006: Grey won 20-5
2007: Grey won 48-24
2008: Grey won 34-24
2009: Grey won 50-8
2010: Grey won 32-12
2011: drew 15-15
2012: Paarl Boys' High won 28-18
2013: Grey won 35-28
2014: Grey won 15-10
